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More officers suspended in Omaree case

Albuquerque police officer Jennifer Jara and Lt. Natalie Sanchez have been suspended because of the way they handled a 2012 incident involving Omaree Varela, Target 7 has learned.

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Updated: 5:48 PM MDT Apr 9, 2014

More officers suspended in Omaree case

Albuquerque police officer Jennifer Jara and Lt. Natalie Sanchez have been suspended because of the way they handled a 2012 incident involving Omaree Varela, Target 7 has learned.

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Updated: 5:48 PM MDT Apr 9, 2014

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WEBVTT TARGET 7 HAS LEARNED, TWO MORE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED, FOR THEIR HANDLING OF THE OMAREE VARELA CASE. THIS AFTERNOON, CITY LEADERS CONFIRMED OFFICER JENNIFER JARA.. AND HER THEN SUPERVISOR... LT. NATALIE SANCHEZ WERE BOTH REPRIMANDED. TARGET 7 INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER NANCY LAFLIN HAS THE LATEST. THIS LATEST SUSPENSION INVOLVES A CALL TO OMAREE VARELA'S SCHOOL AND HOME IN 2012.. THE YEAR BEFORE HIS DEATH. ACCORDING TO POLICE REPORTS... A TEACHER AT OMAREE VARELA'S SCHOOL NOTIFIED AUTHORITIES AFTER THE CHILD TOLD HER HIS MOTHER... SYNTHIA VERELA-CASAUS BEAT HIM WITH A PHONE AND BELT. OFFICER JENNIFER JARA INVESTIGATED THAT CALL -- ONE OF MANY INVOLVING OMAREE VARELA. YARA WENT TO OMAREE'S SCHOOL THAT DAY... SHE DID WRITE A REPORT AND DID NOTIFY CHILDREN YOUTH FAMILIES DEPARTMENT. BUT ACCORDING TO THE DISCIPLINARY PAPERWORK IN THIS CASE... THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY EVIDENCE WAS PROCESSED, AND ISSUES WITH THE FOLLOW UP IN THE CASE. TODAY, YARA WAS SUSPENDED FOR 40 HOURS -- THAT INCLUDES ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN CHILD ABUSE LAWS. JARA'S SUPERVISOR.. THEN SERGEANT NATALIE SANCHEZ... WHO IS NOW A LIEUTENANT... WAS SUSPENDED FOR 8 HOURS. AND A THIRD OFFICER...SERGEANT BRUCE WERLEY... ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF REPRIMAND TODAY. HE WAS THE SUPERVISOR IN ANOTHER CALL INVOLVING OMAREE IN JUNE 2013. LAST WEEK... APD FIRED OFFICER GIL VIGIL... AND SUSPENDED OFFICER SCOTT MCMURROUGH FOR THE WAY THEY HANDLED THAT CALL WITH OMAREE. WERELY WAS THEIR SUPERVISOR. LAST DECEMBER... OMAREE VARELA WAS KILLED IN HIS HOME. HIS MOTHER... SYNTHIA VARELA-CASAUS WAS CHARGED WITH KILLING HER 9 YEAR OLD SON. THE O-M-I REPORT SHOWS THE LITTLE BOY WAS SHOVED, BEATEN AND STOMPED TO DEATH. OMAREE'S STEP FATHER... STEVE CASAUS WAS HOME AT THE TIME OF THE CRIME. LAST MONTH HE WAS ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES. HE HAS SINCE BONDED OUT OF JAIL... BECAUSE CASAUS DIDN'T TO COMPLY WITH THAT PRETRIAL SERVICES SUPERVISION -- ORDERED BY THE JUDGE. TONIGHT... HE REMAINS A WANTED MAN. THE SUSPENSION FOR JARA, BEGINS APRIL 14TH.

More officers suspended in Omaree case

Albuquerque police officer Jennifer Jara and Lt. Natalie Sanchez have been suspended because of the way they handled a 2012 incident involving Omaree Varela, Target 7 has learned.